05-08-10

New: Oncology Social Worker available at Griffith Base Hospital 

New weblink: www.friendlyfaces.info  - Provides information for rural families who travel to the city for treatment. You'll find information about affordable accommodation, parking, cafes & restaurants, supermarkets, petrol stations, florists, newsagents, hair salons and many more of the services you may find yourself looking for. It also includes links to support networks like Ronald McDonald House, Angel Flight etc.  

New website for young people: www.theline.gov.au - Website for information on where to draw the line in relationships and how to maintain healthy relationships. Topics: sexting, texting, facebook, respect, bullying. 'The Line' has a free confidential 24 hour helpline 1800 200 526 to enable young people to talk with experienced counsellors. 

It's aimed at helping teenagers and young adults through difficult times in their lives. This campaign provides a website and Facebook site for young people to have dialogue about healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviours and how to have and maintain a respectful relationship.   

Legal Aid – Ph: 02 6921 6588

Legal Aid – Family Matters: At the Griffith Neighbourhood House
Wednesday 3 August 2010 
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Wednesday 13 October 2010
Wednesday 10 November 2010
Wednesday 15 December 2010
Wednesday 12 January 2011

Legal Aid – Civil Matters: At the Griffith Neighbourhood House
Friday 6 August 2010
Friday 3 September 2010
Friday 1 October 2010
Friday 5 November 2010
Friday 3 December 2010
Legal Aid – Civil Matters – Homelessness: Every second Tuesday of the month –at the Alma Blamblett Pioneer Community Centre - 16 Heath Crescent, Griffith 

www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/pubsonline - Publications online: New brochures, fact sheets and information kits. Translations in 30 languages 

- New weblink: http://www.asbestos.com - The Mesothelioma Center is an up to date resource on mesothelioma statistics and is devoted to increasing mesothelioma awareness.   Australia has one of the highest incidences of mesothelioma in the world, largely due to its extensive use and mining of asbestos. Deaths from mesothelioma were reported at 416 in 1997 and 522 in 2005 within Australia. Government experts believe that because mesothelioma has such a long latency period - often 20 to 50 years, incidence of the disease in Australia will not peak until after 2010, perhaps as late as 2017. In total, about 18,000 cases are expected by the year 2020, according to a University of Sydney study. 

With more than 3,000 pages of content, our site features information on asbestos, mesothelioma, and other cancers that are caused by asbestos exposure (lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, etc.). Unlike other sites, Asbestos.com has achieved HON code approval (Health On the Net (HON) Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation that works to preserve the accuracy and trustworthiness of Web-based medical information).   Our site has employed a full staff of writers dedicated to research and writing about asbestos exposure and the diseases that result from exposure to the toxic mineral. In addition, our medical adviser and editor, Dr. Mauricio Salazar,M.D., who has worked in the field of cancer treatment for years, has personally reviewed, edited, and approved all medical information on our site. 

The Griffith Autism Support Group was formed after an ASPECT positive parenting course which was held in Griffith in September 2009. The group aims to support parents through the many challenges involved with raising a child with Autism or Aspergers syndrome. The group hopes to raise funds to bring speakers to Griffith as well as to provide information and support networks to local families on the spectrum. For more information contact Dene Beltrame on 0411 718 763 or Noni Zanesco on 0429 624 504 or sign up to the facebook site: Griffith Autism Support Group - it's confidential, it allows you to stay in touch with what is happening in the area, courses, workshops, speakers and gives you a place to vent, share inspiring stories and to meet others who are going through a similar situation.  

HOOD - Helping Ourselves Overcome Depression -  a place for people to come together and have a talk or watch a video about depression or anxiety, to educate people and give them strategies to cope. Group objectives: • Provide Education about mental health to members, Support and networking with other people experiencing depression, Actions to assist with improving community knowledge of referral pathways. HOOD meets twice a month on Thursday evenings at 7pm -  Venue: Nurses Training Room Griffith Base Hospital. For more information please contact: Roy Hatch – mob.: 0439 669 130. email:

Support Sessions :
- 5 Aug - Guest speakers – Sophie Covert and Jennifer (GSAHS Mental Health Team) Informal group discussion
- 19 Aug - Educational DVD – Depression Informal group discussion
- Sat 21 Aug – Visit TT’s café Coleambally
- 2 September - Informal group discussion and planning session.
- 16 September -Guest speaker- TBA Group discussion session.
- 7 October - Visit Leeton group for a barbecue.
- 21 October - Informal group discussion and group planning session. 

The Salvation Army in Griffith is hosting a Suicide bereavement support programme for those who have been affected by someone completing suicide. Meetings are to be held on the first Friday of every month at The Salvation Army Citadel hall at 103 Binya Street, Griffith commencing at 10:00am, "Hope Saves Lives".
As people involved in caring for others at crucial times, we share in the experience of grief and loss. Salvation Army Officers, counsellors and Chaplains provide words of comfort on a daily basis, support and encouragement to people whose lives have been devastated by the loss of a loved one. But we can all do more. Suicide claims the lives of over 2000 Australians each year and for every person who dies there are another 8 people who are directly affected, this means that suicide impacts the lives of over 16,000 Australian each year. The loneliness, confusion and anguish that comes from losing someone you love, a family member, a friend, a colleague is devastating. The Salvation Army has been providing support to people in crisis for over 100 years. In 1907, The Salvation Army ran Suicide Prevention Bureaus in every Capital city in Australia. Counsellors and chaplains provided practical support, advice and encouragement to people who felt they had nothing to live for. They gave them Hope for Life. 2007 was the centenary of The Salvation Army’s work in suicide prevention and support for people bereaved through suicide. This work is just as vital in 2009 as at any other time in history. The information and training programs which will be available through Hope for Life are designed to help you to know how to respond to people who may be at risk of suicide and those who have been bereaved by suicide. People need a listening ear, they need support and they need hope. Hope save lives. Ph: 02 6964 3388 for more information.